Renewing worn angle bars



Oct.. 22, 1929. 4G: LANGFORD .1,732,550

RENEWING WORN ANGLE BARS' Filed March l0F 192B Georgglazzgfod Patented Oct. 2,2, j

UNITED. s'rirras- PATENT OFFICE GEDRGE LANGFORD, OF JULIET, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TQMCKE-NNA PROCESS GOMPANY F ILLIBTOS`y OF JULIET, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WLINOIS Wj man., VORN ANGLE BARS Application :tiled March 10, 1928. Serial No. 260,695.

My .invention relates to angle bars or fish plates employed in making rail joints, and

`the ends of the rails.

faces which are wedged together when the plates are drawn in to the web of the rails, become worn away to a maximum extent on the ends of the rails and the central part of the' bars.

It hasv been proposed heretofore to reform the bars by heating them and reforming them in closed dies, and it is known that in the reforming operation it is desirable to increase the vertical height of the bars' along the center so as to make up for the metal worn from j This is known as crowning the bar. It has heretofore been practiced by holding the bar in such a manner that it could not increase in length, and subjecting it to enormous pressure, thereby forcing metal from the entire length of the bar to fiow towards the center and laterally at the center to form the crowns on the bearing surfaces. It has been found in practice that the pressures which are required to do this are enormous foreven moderately worn plates, and for badly worn plates the pressure required is so great as to break even the largest commercial presses. I have conceived the possibility of diminishing the thickness of the bar along its neutral axis to supply-the necessary metal for filling out the worn part of the bar and for supplying the metal required v to provide the crown. In other words, I apply a spreading pressure at the central part along the neutral axis before closing the dies at the edgesf In this way the vertical height along the center third maybe increased to produce the necessary crown without resorting to very great pressure in reforming the bar. .i

It is essential that the distance between the angles of the head and flange bearing surfaces be exactto a predetermined amount,

vthe bearing surfaces and that the inside of the head be also as predetermined. The height or distance between ,and the angles thereof determines the tit of the fishingi, and the space vbetween the inner side of the bar head and the rail web is the draw or amount of takeup avallable before the bar isconsidered worn out. As stated, the fit of fishing and the draw must be precise and only a small depar-` ture from precision is tolerated by the users. Where the wear on the vbearing surfaces of 'the bars is considerable it is obvious that there i must be considerable shifting of metal, particularly in a vertical direction, in order that precision in the fit of the renewed or reformed bar may be obtained, and the great difficulty heretofore has resided in forcing the-required shifting. l

In the practice of my invention I relieve the pressure on the end sections (or thirds of the bar in a short bar) and exert effective pressure on the central portion or third of the bar in a short bar), producing thereby a renewed or reformed bar thinner than the original bar at the center but higher than the worn bar because of the outward movement of the metal. Such outward movement of the metal may be carried to a point where by secure a satisfactory reformed or renewed bar with much less expenditure o'f energy4 Iand greater certainty of operation.

Although the strength of the bar produced by my invention is decreased horizontally at the center, it is actually increased in vertical bending strength because of the comparatively great distance. of the additional metal from the neutral. axis; That is to say, the moment of inertia of the reformed or renewed bar is as great as or greater than the bar as originally manufactured. v

.In practice I make the greater part of the diiferences of section, that is, movement of the metal, ou the inside ofthe bar where such differences in section are more permissible than' on the outside. The worn center is preferably worked without interference from the ends, the effect of such working being Waves of pressure beginning at the center and moving in al1 directions therefrom, and the metal flowing |in accordance with the -waves of pressure. f

v There are short and long angle bars in use,A

the former varying from 24 to 2S in. in length, and the latter varying from 36 to 42 in. in len th. The greatest stress on the bar is taken up y one-third and by one-fourth the length of the short bars and long bars respectively, the balance being taken vup by the end portions..

My invention applies equally to all lengths of bars, but for the purpose of illustration I have shown in the accompanying drawings a short bar. l

Now in order to teach those skilled in the art how to practice my invention I have shown in4 the. accompanying drawings for the purposes of illustration the'specific embodiment ,of the invention and the mode of producing the same.

Fig. 1v` is an elevational outside view of a standard fish plate or angle bar modified in accordance with my invention.

Flg. 2 is an elevational view ofthe reverse i side or inside of that shown in Fig. 1; and

40. outline which, in'some parts; coincides with the solid out-line, representing a section at the center of the reformed angle bar. The ends of `the bar receive practically nol wear and, consequently, req iire little or no reforming,

`but the central portion needs considerable reforming, as heretofore explained.

When necessary, all of the outside surfaces may be modified, but preferably, as shown in Fig. 3, I have confined the greater part of the modification to the inside surfaces. The head crowning is represented by the perpendicular distance between the line a-b and the line c-d in Fig. 3, which, in practice, .averages about .O25 inches, depending-on the amount the bar is worn, and this crowning tapers to Zero at the ends of the bar, as shown at 5 and 6 in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the preferred practice of the invention where crowning is employed the head surface is raisedsubstantially a uniform height along the central third or fourth of the lengthof the bar and this rise tapers off to nothing at the ends. That is to say, I do not in practice mak'e'a smooth curve as might be inferred from Fig. 1 but rather a fiat raised .part at the center and tapered shoulders at the ends. f

The flange crowning is represented by the perpendicular distance between the line ef and the line g-t of Fig. 3, which also tapers to zero at 7 and 8. In order that these portions may be crowned, metal is pressed from the sectional area z', j, 7c, Z, m, n, o and p, shown in Fig. 3, which area tapers to substantially zero at9 and 10 at the ends of the bar, therefore thinning the web portion 11 approximately lgth of an inch at the center. Metal may also be shifted from the area Q, r. s and t of Fig. 3, which, likewise, tapers out at the ends at 12 and 13 as shown in Fig. 1.

The web portion is thinned horizontally and the head and fiange portions are crowned vertically, as shown, all at the center and tapering from each end, the moment of inertia remainingv substantially the same or increasing, and the weakness resulting at the center is offset by the crowned bearing surfaces. The drawing shows the changes which have been madein exaggerated form inorder that they may be perceptible to the eye.

Since the web only of the bar is thinned horizontally, the head and foot portion, or fiange, being thinned vertically, the width of the center portion of each of the respective bearing surfaces is not reduced relative tol` vthe end portions of such surfaces. When al bar is in use in a joint, the greatest wear occurs at the center portion of the respective bearing surfaces, the end port-ions of such surfaces being subjected to but slight wear. It becomes important, therefore, to retain the width of the center portion of at least one of the bearing surfaces. This center portion of the bearing surface should be substantially equal in width to the end portions of such sarface and, under certain conditions, may advantageously be of greater width than the end portions. While I have illustrated, by way of example, a bar having a relatively wide flange, my invention, in its broader aspects, comprehends bars of various types having a head, a web, and a foot portion which may be in the form of a flange or of other suitable form and width for contact with the rail fiange. I also contemplate applying my invention to eitherone of the bearing surfaces of the bars optionally, or to both of such surfaces.

The dies which I employ are of the character shown in my prior copending applica- 4 tion, Serial No. 122,864, filed July 16th, 1926,

and I employ the pins or pegs for holding the bolt holes in proper position and to proper size. I find, however, that the severe duty to vwhich these pins or pegs have heretofore. been subjected is now very greatly reduced, with the result that the pegs or pins and the dies themselves may be employed for many more operations without wear or injury thanl has been possible heretofore vbecause of the fact that the end parts of the bars are, according to the present invention,"

not subjected to the enormous pressure l.which was heretofore employed in an attempt to secure the necessary metal for filling ,out the Worn central portion of the bar. As

above pointed out, the outward movement of metal from the central longitudinal part of the vveb may be carried to a point Where the original height or lineof the bearing surf Jortion bearing surface and a web oortion,

faces is restored to that of the original bar or it may be carried beyond the original line .of the bearing surfaces to produce the desited crown. This is capable of certain vari.

ations Without departing from the spirit of my invention, and l do not intend to'be limited by the details herein set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations as come within the scope of the appended claims.

ll claim:

l. A reformed fish plate for rail joints', said plate comprising ahead portion,a web portion, and a foot portion, and having a crowned head bearing surface, and the Web portion being thinner at the center than at the ends, the center portion of said surface Ibeing substantially equal in Width to the end portions thereo-f.

in angle bar for rail joints, said bar comprising a head portion, a web portion, and a foot portion, and having a crowned foot thinner at the center than -at the ends, the center portion of said surface being substantially equal in Width tothe end portions thereof.

2%. tu angle bar for rail'joints, said bar comprising a head portion, a web portion,

and afoot portion, and having head and foot portion bearing surfaces, the web portion be ingthinner and higher at the center 'thair at the ends, the center portions of Asaid surfaces being substantially equal. in Width to the end portions thereof. v

ll. it, reformed fish plate for rail joints thinner horizontally at the center than at the ends, and higher vertically at thev center portion than at the ends, surfaces on said bar tapering from the ends to the center portion.

5. A reformed fish plate comprising head, -Web and `flange portions, convex bearing sur faces on the head and flange portions, the web portion being thinner and higher at the central part than at the ends of the plate, and a surface of saidportion tapering from the ends toward the,` center part.

6. rl reformed 'angle bar for rail joints comprising head, web and fiange portions, convex bearing surfaces on said head and flange portions, concave surfaces on said head and flange portions opposite said convex surfaces, one of the surfaces of said web portion being concave. l

8. A reformed angle bar for rail joints comprising head, web and flange portions, convex bearing surfaces on said head and flange portions, concave surfaces on said head and flange portions opposite said convex surfaces, the web portion being higher at the center than at the ends, and one of its sur faces having a concavity extending from one end of Vthe bar to the other.

9;. A renewed bar comprising a head portion, a Web portion, and a foot port-ion, the

Web being thinner at the central longitudinal part thereof and the inside of the Web being concaved, said bar having a bearing surface the center portion of which is substantially equal in Width to the end portions thereof,

l0. A renewed bar comprising a head portion, a web portion, and afoot portion, and having angular bearing surfaces restored to be cooperable with new rails and having concavities in the central longitudinal portions of the Web and foot portion from which metal has been removed by lateral displacement, the center portions of said surfaces being substantially equal in Width to the end portions thereof.

ll. rlrn angle bar for rail joints, said bar comprising a head portion, a web portion and a foot portion, and having head and foot portion bearing surfaces and a Web yportion thinner at the center than at the ends, the center portions of said surfaces being substantially equal in Width to the end portions thereof.

l2. Agn angle bar for rail joints, said bar comprising a head portion, a web portion, and afoot portionand having head and foot portion bearing surfaces and a web portion with the outer surface straight throughout its length andl inner surface concave lengthwise v of the bar, the center portions of said bearing surfaces being substantially equal in vvidth to the end portions thereof.,

13. l-lrn angle bar for rail joints, said bar comprising a head portion, a web portion, and a foot portion, and having head and foot portion bearing surfaces and a web portion with one surface concave longitudinally, the center portions of said bearing surfaces being substantially equal in Width to the end portions thereof. Y

lil. .ein angle bar for rail joints, said bar comprising a head portion, a web portion, and a foot portion, said Web portion being thinner at the center than at the ends,the bar having a bearing surface the center portion of which is substantially equal in Width to the end portions thereof'.`

l5. An angle bar `for rail joints with the web portion higher at the center than at the ends and the head portion thinner vertically at thecenter than at the ends.

16. An angle bar for rail joints with the Web higher at the center than at the ends, and the head and flange portions thinner vertically at the center than at the ends.

17. An angle bar for rail joints, said bar comprising a flange disposed for fishing contact with the rail fiange at both the center portion and the end portions of the bar and of less vertical thickness at its central portion than at its ends.

18. An angle bar for railjoints, said bar comprising a flange disposed for fishing contact with the rail 'fiange and tapering in vertical thickness from its ends to its center portion. v

19. An angle bar' for rail joints, said bar comprising a head and a flange having fishing surfaces for Contact with the corresponding i fishing-surfaces of the rail, the head and flange ofthe bar tapering in Vertical thickness from the en dsof the bar to the center portion thereof.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 29th day-of February, 1928.-

GEoRGE LANGFORD. 

